If 2020 was the first year of staying home, 2021 has seen us practise that reality. So, what have we been listening to in our rooms this year? And which art figures are dipping their toes into the podcast world for the first time?
RIPE FOR OUT TIMES
From #MeToo to NFTs and the increasing stealth of AI in our lives, these recently launched podcasts reflect the current zeitgeist.
The Great Women Artists. This one was launched in 2019, so it’s had a few years to earn its stripes (and it has). Hosted by UK curator and art historian Katy Hessel, The Great Women Artists is in its sixth season of inviting women artists, or experts on them, for 45-minute in-depth conversations. Hessel brings a pacey energy to the talks, and each episode offers a wonderland of facts on some of these sadly neglected figures in the historical canon.
Mirror with a Memory. It’s a little high-brow, but if you’re up for some ideas on what art is telling us about surveillance in our world, it could be for you. Produced by the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, it’s a six part series hosted by American artist Martine Syms, providing intriguing info from artists asking questions of how tech and AI are shaping ways we perceive our environment and the people in it.
PROOF. If 2021 has taught the art-world anything, it’s that NFTs are becoming an art market staple. But if you still find yourself asking: NFT WTF? then a few episodes of PROOF might be what you need. Hosted by American tech venture capitalist Kevin Rose, the show has got around thirty 60-minute episodes so far, on buzz-topics like DOAs and AI art. One recent episode even features Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda on why he is excited about such things as apes, mutants, punks and squiggles (and why he’s dreaming of owning an XCOPY). It’s worth a look.
STILL GOING STRONG
And, some other Aussie gems still going strong after several years in the podcast game.
Speak the Speech by Bell Shakespeare. Launched in July 2020 and hosted by Bell Shakespeare Associate Director James Evans, this is ideal for theatre lovers curious to hear how the Bard’s words impact those who embody them on stage. Each episode chooses a famous monologue from a Shakespeare play and allows its guest to read the passage out loud and reflect in their feelings about it.In 2021, actors such as Kyle Morrison and Ben Elton have featured in these hour long conversations that shed light on the enduring power of Shakespeare’s work.
Every Musical Ever. This one is a lot of fun for musical theatre fans and anyone interested in the history of the form. Hosted and produced by Sydney based writer, director and producer Richard Carroll, and launched in 2017, this podcast interviews a bevvy of Australian theatre talent on their connection with their favourite musicals. Guests have included David Campbell, Lucy Durack, Julia Zamiro and even Leigh Sales!, all of whom speak with passion and wit on classics like West Side Story and Wicked. It’s great.
Melbourne Writers Festival. This one gets a mention for its special release of over 50 of its cancelled 2021 festival events in podcast form. From October this year, and with support from the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund, MWF has made many conversations with writers on topics like ‘Young And Muslim in Australia’, ‘Tampa: 20 Years On’, and ‘The Memories We Inherit’, available for free via the pod.
Talking With Painters. Finally, a true pillar of the arts podcast world. Talking With Painters was started in 2016 by youtuber and painter Maria Stoljar and it interviews Australian painters on their lives and work. It’s a simple premise and proves addictive listening with a back-catalogue of over one hundred episodes. You are completely spoilt for choice.
So wherever you find yourself over the summer break, it’s nice to know there are more than a few arts podcasts to enjoy which include some impressive new insights into the Australian scene.
